


Going Ghost

by abandoningship



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mentions of Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, but some stories are changed, most of the backgrounds are the same, ouat AU, slight language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 04:04:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15234915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abandoningship/pseuds/abandoningship
Summary: Killian Jones had just moved to the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. He can't remember anything from his past or why he is unable to leave the east coast. After spending a night in his new house, he realizes he's not the only one there. Can he get along with whoever lives with him? Will he ever find his way home? Will he have company on his journey?





	Going Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> It started off as the prompt  
> “How come when a house is haunted it’s always ghost from the 1800s? Why there ain’t ever any ghosts from 2007 who screams “ITS BRITNEY BITCH!” at 3 in the morning?"
> 
> but it digressed shortly after

Autumn leaves crunched under his boots as Killian finished walking his chocolate lab, Buckley. The three month old puppy only walks to the end of the block and back before it tires him enough to nap. As the two reach the steps leading up to their small house, Buckley started to whine as he stared at his new home.

Killian (and Buckley) moved into the house two days ago. The small house in Boston suburbs was a perfect fit for the two. The house sat atop a small hill. A a set of thirteen steps led up to the front door. Killian counted when he tried to get Buckley to climb them. The puppy only made it four before whining to Killian to be carried. A thin garden filled with bushes, sunflowers, daisies, and lilies painted the perimeter of the pastel teal home. He’d prefer navy blue, but painting the house a darker shade of blue will have to wait. There were plenty of windows which Killian, for some odd reason, loved. There were sliding glass doors out back that neatly met a deck and a decent sized pool. A large backyard spilled out behind the pool. It was a dream home to start a family. Killian figured Buckley would do, for now.

It was almost dusk and Buckley was acting like his thirst was the end of the world. As Killian carries him up the last nine steps, Buckley started to whimper. The puppy glare suspiciously at the rightmost second floor window, which happened to be the master bedroom. Killian pondered why Buckley was looking at his bedroom when he saw his hook glisten in the dying sunlight. Killian chuckled to himself.

“That’s just my hook Buckley. I don’t take it outside, remember? It might scare people.”

Killian turned to face the front door. As he slid the key in the lock, he missed the green eyes stare at him from next to his hook.

Killian tries to keep the same nightly routine as their last home, an apartment. Instead of eating alone, he eats with Buckley. He cooks dinner for himself and sits on the couch next to Buckley as they watch a couple episodes of Modern Family. Instead of cleaning and doing laundry, since there is none to do yet, he unpacks two boxes a night and then heads to bed. He only has four left and he is anxious to be completely moved in. At night he sleeps with Buckley at the foot of the bed. It’s worked for the past two months. Even though the house has been his for the past two days, this is Killian’s first night sleeping in the house. That first night he didn’t get to break in the new home because Killian had to finish packing his apartment. The big things moved first, and Killian went back to get the smaller items, like clothes and dishes and such. The first night in a new home is always hard. Killian only fell asleep due to extreme exhaustion. On the verge of passing out from exhaustion, Killian swore he heard a voice. He thought nothing of it and determined it was a hallucination, I mean, he lives alone. Right before his eyes shut for the night, he heard it again. It was loud, but not loud enough to pull Killian away from passing out. It was a female voice, he was sure of it. The clock ticked 3:00.

_“It’s Britney, bitch.”_

_

Killian wasn’t use to the quiet nights. Boston wasn’t the biggest city in the world, but it sure wasn’t quiet at night. He often found himself reading Harry Potter or watching movies online to kill the late/unholy early hours that were ticking by. As if on cue, every night he heard the same creak in a floorboard downstairs. He wasn’t scared easily so he assumed it was just an old house. The same creak turning into five more the next night, and the night after. And as if on cue, there was a weirdly voice that whisper-screamed at 3am every night.

_“It’s Britney, bitch.”_

He always assumed it was his neighbors. They were young, younger than him. They were maybe early twenties and had no kids, so they were as loud as they wanted all the time. Killian was never one to complain about noise. He was that age once and he remembered the rush of feeling so carefree. Who was he to ruin a good time. Also, Killian has no idea who Britney was, or how you even spell it. How could he complain about something he didn’t even know about. After a late night of wondering who Britney was or how his neighbors always sounded like they were in his house when they said it, Killian finally googled the phrase. He was met with a Wikipedia article on someone named Britney Spears and a link to a song, Gimme More. Not even ten second in and he heard the phrase. He barely lasted thirty more before turning the pop nightmare off. He was old school, he couldn’t help it. He doesn’t have to like everything his neighbors do.

After a week of the same routine, Killian was already tired of the new home. He had to constantly remind himself the suburbs weren’t as busy as the city, and the nights got quiet, but not too quiet. His new town, Hopedale, was fairly small with roughly 7,000 residents. From what the realtor told him, the town was quiet in the sense that nothing happened there. Everybody knew everyone else’s business. Killian wasn’t happy about the last part, but he desperately needed to get out of Boston. Walking around town for a week make Killian a star in his new small town. Hopedale didn’t get many new residents so when a young man with tattoos, scars, and a hook buys a house in full after viewing it for an hour, of course word was going to spread around town. Killian saw people purposely drive by his house. After an encounter with some residents he decided to only wear his hook in his house. The most shocking encounter Killian had, had nothing to do with himself per say. A girl of maybe seven had walked up to him and asked him how living in the Swan House felt. Before he could ask her what it meant, the girls mother pulled the child away, in embarrassment and in disgust.

It was his eighth day in town and Killian decided to visit the library. He wasn’t a fond reader, but he couldn’t find anything online of what a Swan House meant. He wasn’t great with googling things anyway, so he resorted to the old fashioned way of doing things. Killian was pleased when it was only him and the librarian in the library. He didn’t want anyone judging him and the librarian didn’t give him a second glance after pointing to where the town history section was. Killian was there maybe all of forty minutes when he found something related to what the little girl said. Or so he thought. He stared at the newspaper clipping neatly laminated in the book in front of him. The article gave Killian chills.

_**DOMESTIC ARGUMENT TURNS DEADLY** _

_October 28, 2008_

_Two dead in domestic fight turned deadly Saturday night shook the town of Hopedale as two residents were murdered and a third is on an active police chase. Reports of loud disturbances on Driftway Street by multiple neighbors required a police presence. Before police arrived, neighbors claim a heated domestic argument turned for the worst when three gunshots were heard. Police enter the home of 14 Driftway St to find Emma Allison Swan, 25 and her son Henry Daniel Swan(Cassidy), 7 dead at the scene in the living room and a room upstairs respectively. Swan was shot in the left abdomen and head while Swan(Cassidy) received one bullet to the chest. The police are on the hunt for Neal Baelfire Cassidy who fled the scene. He is believed to be unstable, dangerous, and carrying weaponry._

_Swan and Swan-Cassidy have no family members other than Neal. Swan had been in the foster system until 18. The town is holding a small ceremony in their honor. The two bodies are to be cremated and ashes will be scattered about the house. Donations for arrangements can be dropped off to Bancroft Memorial Library._

Killian’s stomach churned as his read the rest of the article. He lived in 14 Driftway Street. He bought the house exactly ten years after the date of the incident. A small picture showed what Emma and Henry looked like. Emma was a young blonde with the greenest eyes Killian has ever saw. Henry was a typical little boy. He had shaggy brown hair and big brown eyes. There were some freckles along the bridge of his nose. A few more article lined the page of the book, most of them talking how the “Swan House” was put on the market but was never sold. Killian saw in the corner of the page a new article that was freshly pasted in.

**EX-COP BUYS SWAN HOUSE 10 YEARS AFTER HORRIFIC EVENTS**

_

Killian was drunk, he wasn’t going to lie. The scene at the library made the man go straight to the liquor store and buy a bottle of whiskey and generic rum before returning home. Killian couldn’t really process what happened. Sure, the events that happened in the house were not the very worst, but they weren’t pretty either. The realtor didn’t even tell him about it. How had he not heard of this before? He lived in Boston, roughly 45 minutes away. And how did an article about him end up in the book so fast. His head was spinning.

Killian took a swig of both drinks before turning on his living room tv. He set Buckley in his excessively large cage with food and water before sitting in the living room alone. Buckley whined about the ruined nightly routine but Killian ignored his best friend. The cage was big compared to the small dog, so the animal had plenty of room to roam around.

Both bottles disappeared overnight and Killian was completely plastered. He hadn’t been this drunk in years and it was showing. Buckley was sleeping as Killian struggled getting off the couch. He was hungry but it was nearing 3am and he barely had any food in the new house. He horribly made ramen before returning to his living room.

A small child was sitting on his couch watching reruns of Nickelodeon cartoons. The boy’s shaggy brown hair and deep chocolate colored eyes did not resemble Killian’s blue eyes and almost black hair. Killian check the front door but even in his drunk state he managed to close and lock it earlier. The boy’s position hinted that he had been there for awhile and Killian tried to remember if the boy was there when he got up for ramen, but his memory was foggy. Just as he was going to say something, he heard a pulsing pop song beat play throughout the house. Killian has no idea why he knew the song, he hates pop, but the he recognized where he knew it from. It was Gimme More by Britney Spears. Just as the beat reached its peak, Killian saw a blonde woman come into the room and collapse on the couch next to the boy. She turned to him as the lyrics to the song started. She almost screamed.

_“IT’S BRITNEY, BITCH.”_

It was the same voice that spoke those same words every night. Killian’s throat burned as he made partial eye contact with bright green eyes slightly covered by long blonde locks of hair. He recognized the eyes and face.

“It’s you,” Killian barely croaked out.

Almost immediately the song stopped playing. Killian wondered how it was playing because he doesn’t own a speaker system or that song. Also, the song was blaring throughout the house but the rest of the town remained quiet, like there wasn’t an almost rave at 3am. The blonde woman turned in sheer panic and the boy hid his face behind the blonde. The woman sat still like Killian couldn’t see her.

“It’s you. You say it every night. How do you get in here?” Killian spoke again.

He wasn’t sure if what he was seeing was real or a drunken hallucination, so he refrained from getting angry about a possible breaking and entering. The blonde looked almost shocked.

“You can see me?”

Killian scoffed. “Well yeah, you’re a person. How did you get in? And why do you come every night and scream the same lyrics?”

Killian’s drunken state caused him to drop the bowl of ramen in his hand. He didn’t react quickly enough and it spilled all over his pants and feet. The boy slid further behind the woman and the woman gave a protective stance.

“Look, you’re clearly inebriated, why don’t we talk about this tomorrow.”

Killian wasn’t an angry drunk. In all honestly he was a lonely and clingy drunk. He sounded almost pathetic while trying to clean up the ramen and reply back.

“You.... you’ll come back?”

The woman’s face softened and the boy peeked an eye from behind the blonde, wavy hair hiding him.

“Um, sure.”

Killian nodded as he poorly cleaned the spilled instant fake pasta. “

There are plenty of rooms. You can stay the night.” Killian almost pleaded.

The woman could sense the innocence in his voice. The boy emerged from behind the woman and looked back and forth between the two. The woman softly replied back.

“We’ll stay. Hopefully we’ll continue this when you can remember what you say and do.”

Killian swore they vanished but then again, he was very drunk. He slowly made his way to his room and changed his pajama pants. He fell asleep on the bed, no covers surrounding his cold, lonely body.

-

He awoke in a sweat nine hours later. It was nearing noon and he heard a banging echoing throughout the house - no wait that was in his head. Buckley’s barking was what echoed throughout the cozy home. Killian winced more and more the closer he got to the puppy. The poor dog was stuck in the cage with and empty food bowl, empty water bowl, and it’s own urine running amuck. Killian opened the cage door with such force it scared the tiny puppy. His hands found themselves around the body and rear of the dog, supporting with ease. He held Buckley up to his eye level. The small puppy whimpered.

“Buckley I’m so sorry buddy. I - I don’t know what happened. I can’t believe I did that to you, buddy.”

The puppy licked Killian before squirming to be free. The cage was big enough for the puppy to run around, but not big enough to run to satisfy his energy level. Killian let the puppy down as he made work of cleaning the cage. He didn’t get far before the pounding in his head and the aching pain throughout his body cause him to fall asleep to escape it.

He’s not sure how long he slept, but when he woke he threw up the rest of the contents in his stomach. Killian groaned as he finished vomiting pure liquid into the toilet he rushed to. He honestly felt like his same old self once the toilet flushed and he stood. He soon noticed the changes in his house.

The front door was locked shut, and there was an extra lock to make sure Killian himself didn’t get out. All of the windows were boarded shut. Every room was neatly organized like Killian hadn’t moved in less that two weeks ago. Buckley still walked among the house but was drawn to the spot in the living room right in front of the television. The dog’s cage was completely clean and the house didn’t smell like Buckley’s urine. A plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs lay neatly on the kitchen table, still hot, like they were just made. Killian knew he was drunk last night, but he knows he did not clean. He also knows he barely made a dent in cleaning Buckley’s cage before falling back asleep. Killian paced the house, ready to find a way to flee, when he saw Buckley with two familiar faces.

A blonde woman with bright green eyes was standing in the doorway in the living room. A young boy with shaggy brown eyes and dark chocolate eyes was sitting on the couch with Buckley playing with the toy shark in the boy’s hand. Killian froze for what seemed like hours before the blonde broke the silence.

“Killian — do you remember what happened last night?”

Her voice was like a Pavlovian Bell. Killian was able to remember everything, even things after he blacked out. The black haired man nodded slowly.

“Why don’t you sit. There’s a long story ahead,” She spoke again.

Killian stood in his spot. Both the woman and the boy looked real, but there’s no way a real person could pull off what they did while Killian was asleep. The woman walked over to Killian with slow steps. She seemed translucent. Once she stood directly in front of Killian, her body seemed to take a solid figure. She no longer looked fake. She looked like a woman who had broken into his home. Killian was ready to yell in confusion but he felt the woman softly place her hand on his right shoulder.

“Killian—“

“How do you know my name?”

The woman gave Killian pleading eyes.

“I know everything about you, Killian.”

Killian shifted his weight and rocked back and forth from his heels to his toes. The woman removed her hand from his shoulder and took a slight defensive stance.

“Your name is Killian Charles Jones.”

Killian’s eyes widened and he backed into the couch. The woman continued to speak, Killian trembling with every continuing word.

“You’re not from the United States. You’re not from this reality. You were born in the Enchanted Forest, otherwise known as Misthaven, and resided in Neverland for 200 years. You have an older brother who died in the Navy. You resent this and turned into a pirate to avenge his death. Your left arm was chopped off by Rumplestiltskin and you go by the moniker, Captain Hook.”

Killian was now fully sitting on the couch. His fist was clenched and his knuckles were whiter than his teeth. Still, the woman continued.

“You were banished from the realm but you can’t remember why. You can only remember your past to a certain point. You’ve tried to leave the east coast before but physically can’t. You also don’t age, no matter how many years go by.”

The woman stopped and stepped in front of Killian with authority. She leaned over and put a hand on Killian’s knee. He shivered hard. The little boy, from the other side of the couch, warned the woman slightly.

“Mom, you’re scaring him.”

“Not now Henry.”

The woman bit back at the boy. With the harshness of her voice, both Killian and Henry slightly jumped back. Buckley stood from his spot on Henry’s lap and tried to join Killian. The woman simply lifted a wrist and gave a slight flick. Killian watched Buckley float across the room into his cage. The door closed and locked without anyone touching it. Buckley fell asleep immediately. Killian sat dumbfounded. He was from a land with magic but he couldn’t believe he was seeing in right in front of him. Still, the woman continued to speak.

“You’re not an ex-cop, but you say you are to fit in with this society. You say you lost your arm on the job in Boston, so you can collect money and live in the world. Money isn’t a problem, it magically shows up for you, but you need to look normal for this world.”

The woman finished, and her body returned to a translucent figure and her green eyes started to almost glow. It was then Killian noticed a scar on her face. The scar ran across the woman’s temple. It was as wide as a bullet but it looked like the bullet grazed her head and didn’t enter it. Killian then saw the another scar on the woman’s abdomen through the pocket of skin visible between the woman’s shirt and pants line. The scar was one big circle that definitely looked like a bullet hole wound. Curiosity took the best of Killian and he reached out to touch the woman. The woman stood dumbfounded, shocked someone wanted to touch her. Killian’s right hand grazed the woman’s face and traced the scar. Killian turned to the boy and almost gasped in shock, finally recognizing the faces and name.

“You— you’re her.”

Killian eyed the woman. She had lost her confidence and slowly backed away. Killian rose from the couch, desperate to follow her.

“Emma.”

The woman nodded and lowered her head, losing eye contact with Killian. as he continued.

“You lived here before me. But you’re dead. How— why haven’t you moved onto the afterlife?”

Henry stood next to Emma now. Killian didn’t notice him move. Emma sighed as she wiped some forming tears from her eyes.

“Killian, you remember parts of your past, right?” Killian nodded, Emma continued. “Do you remember you used to work for the Queen of Misthaven, Regina?”

Killian winced. He nodded reluctantly. Regina was evil to say the least and took advantage of a grieving Killian to make him evil as well. Regina’s plan of wickedly ruling with Killian being her enforcer failed when Snow White and Prince Charming rescued Killian. They sent him to Neverland with a baby to protect. He couldn’t remember the baby’s name or how he lost it. He couldn’t remember anything after he hit Neverland.

“Killian, you betrayed Regina and helped Snow White and Prince Charming. You hid their baby in Neverland?”

Killian nodded and finally replied to Emma. “I can’t remember anything after that.”

Killian skulked as he sat back on the couch. Emma sat on his left side and Henry on his right. Henry held Killian’s good hand as Emma continued.

“After you reached Neverland, Regina sent Rumplestiltskin to find you and the baby. When he found you, he cursed you and the baby to a different realm. You both landed in Boston, Massachusetts. You didn’t age but the baby did.”

Killian sat back on the couch and rested his head on the cushion. He had processed a lot of information in the past hour and he was starting to develop a migraine. He felt his pain immediately go away and the pirate realized Emma was heading him. She had cured his hangover and she was riding him from pain. Killian spoke, not sure if he wanted to continue the conversation.

“What happened to the baby. You said it was in Boston. I want to find them.”

Emma looked at Killian with soft, forgiving eyes. Tears started to fall from her face and Killian wrapped his arms around her in comfort. Henry had moved to the other couch to give the adults some room. He returned to watching cartoons.

“Emma, where’s the baby? How old are they now?” Emma looked up at Killian. She tried to smile through tears but it didn’t go as successfully as she planned.

“You’re looking at them. I’m the baby, Killian.”

An overwhelming feeling of grief and failure took ahold of Killian. His right hand covered his face as he removed his hook from Emma’s grasp. Killian’s body slumped and for once, the pirate started to cry.

“I didn’t protect you, Emma. Why couldn’t I stand up to Rumple and Regina. Why did I lose you. Why did I let you die.”

Emma was immediately at Killian’s side. She hugged the pirate from behind. She felt small compared to him but she knows he was the one feeling small.

“Killian, don’t do this. Don’t blame yourself for my death. You may have been cursed to forget everything, but I was cursed to remember everything. I knew what I was doing. I crossed paths with Rumple’s son so I could find you. I crossed the wrong path.”

Killian turned to face Emma. The blonde sat in the pirate’s lap and continued to hold him. Her head rested on his shoulder as she looked up at him. Killian held Emma back.

“Emma, is Neal?”

Emma shushed Killian and nodded slightly after. Her voice lowered to a whisper as she quickly glanced at Henry and then back at Killian.

“I wound up tied to Neal in more ways than one. Neal could help me get back but there was a price.”

Killian didn’t like where the conversation was heading. He wanted to shush Emma. Killian opened his mouth but Emma shushed him and continued.

“Neal is.... unfortunately Henry’s father. I- I haven’t told Henry. I never game him Neal’s last name. Neal left before Henry was born because he wasn’t ready to be a dad. Seven years later and I find Neal on my doorstep. He wasn’t too happy Henry had no idea who he was. Neal had found a way to get all four of us; him, me, you, and Henry, back to Misthaven but he abandoned the idea when he realized I didn’t want him in mine and Henry’s lives.”

Killian was filled with anger and he angrily whispered a reply.

“That’s no reason to fucking shoot someone."

Emma gave Killian a pleading look, almost like she was begging him not to continue.

“Killian, all of us had made a mistake.”

“Emma, shooting someone is not a damn mistake. He killed you so you didn’t live a life without him. He’s insane!”

Their voices got a little louder and Henry turned to the two adults. Killian and Emma turned and made eye contact with the boy. The two adults quickly stood and rushed into the kitchen to continue to conversation. Once in the kitchen, Killian turned to Emma and changed the topic of discussion.

“Is there a way for you to return to Misthaven even though you’re a —“

Emma clenched her jaw slightly. “Ghost, Killian. Ghost. You can say it.”

Killian clenched his jaw and bit back a reply. “Fine. Now that you’re a ghost are you stuck here or can you return?”

Emma softened her body posture. She had slouched down slightly. “I don’t know. It’s not like there’s a rule book.”

Killian relaxed slightly, realizing Emma is still scared about being a ghost even though it’s been ten years.

“What’s happened so far? What have you figured out?”

Emma perked up slightly. “Well, Henry and I can choose to become visible to anyone in the house. When you moved in we never chose to though. You can see us in general. Henry and I can leave the house, but once we do we become invisible to the naked eye. Henry and I can eat normally, we just don’t feel hunger. We can’t leave the town of Hopedale. We’ve tried. Many times.”

At her last sentence, Emma’s face fell and she turned to busy herself with something. She settled on making coffee even though it was around late evening now. Killian wasn’t finished with conversation and dared to continue.

“Emma, are you allowed to age??”

Emma turned to Killian with a slightly angry face. She bit back a reply. “Killian, we died ten years ago and Henry still looks seven. What do you think.”

Killian clenched his jaw and ignored the nasty reply. “Are other people allowed to touch you?”

Killian watched as Emma stopped playing with the coffee cup. He saw her body posture tense and head rise as she turned around.

“No. You were the first time in ten years.”

Killian went to touch Emma but the blonde pulled away.

“I think we’ve seen each other enough today. Maybe Henry and I should go.”

Emma quickly made her way into the living room. Killian was hot on her trail, desperate to stop her.

“Emma, please.”

The blonde turned around with a sad expression on her face.

“Killian, this is just a little too much for one day, okay? We weren’t even trying to be noticed by you.”

Killian was taken by surprise. “Screaming Britney Spears at 3 in the morning every day isn’t trying to be noticed?”

“I DIDNT KNOW YOU COULD HEAR ME.”

A silence fell upon the room. Killian wasn’t sure what to say. Emma spoke but very quietly.

“I wanted to take my time to get to open up to you. I knew you were apart of my past and maybe my future but the last person I opened up to took mine and Henry’s last breaths away so please Killian, just give us sometime.”

Killian watched as Emma flicked her wrist. His confused facial expressions caused Emma to sigh as she grabbed Henry’s hand. Henry was mad he was taken away from cartoons but the scene in front of him just cause the boy to become confused.

“I tried to hide myself and Henry but apparently you can still see us. Killian, can you please give us time before trying to come find us?”

Killian nodded and Emma gave him a relieved expression.

“We stay in the room on the opposite end of the hall from you.”

Killian didn’t say anything as he watched Emma and Henry disappear up the steps. With Emma and her magic gone, Buckley woke up and started whining. Killian sighed as the back of his head hit the couch under him with a thud. He found out his true past and how he ended up in Massachusetts. He was already desperate to return home, but alone with his thoughts in his living room, he swore he would earn Emma’s trust and find a way for her and Henry to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> definitely not a one shot but still deciding where I want to take this story


End file.
